Spelman House

1939, London County Council block of 33 flats

Spelman House was built in 1939 for the London County Council on land that had
been acquired but not used for extension of Chicksand Street School. Along
with Chicksand House, diagonally opposite (in Mile End New Town), it formed
the first part of the Chicksand Estate. These stock-brick balcony-access five-
storey walk-up blocks are of a type established by the LCC in 1934 and widely
built. The L-plan Spelman House has thirty-three flats, the U-plan Chicksand
House seventy. The builder was A. T. Rowley of Tottenham.1

I lived in Spelman House from October 2016 to April 2017. The area around
Brick Lane is incredibly lively and multicultural. The buildings around have
human scale and there is an enjoyable transition between the confusion of
Liverpool Street Station and the peaceful atmosphere of the neighbourhood.
From my flat I had an amazing view of the skyscrapers of London.

View to Spelman House along Chicksand Street from the north-east, April 2017Contributed by Derek Kendall

Spelman House from the north-east in April 2017Contributed by Derek Kendall

Spelman House from the south-west in April 2017Contributed by Derek Kendall

Spelman House from the south in April 2017Contributed by Derek Kendall